If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Weldment for FIRST Robotics 2013

02-18-2013, 07:04 PM

For 2013, the FIRST robotics game is to shoot Frisbees through various targets and to climb up a 10 foot high pyramid. Our team’s first task was to make the team version of the pyramid. The team version is made of materials that are easy to get such as 1-1/4” pipe, with the corners clamped using U-bolts and plywood. One of our concepts was to have the robot climb up the corner of the pyramid, so we had to build one corner of the competition pyramid, which is slightly different than the team version. The competition version of the pyramid is made of 1-1/2” tubing which has an OD of 1.5” as opposed to the 1-1/4” pipe used on the team version that has an OD of 1.66”. We didn’t want any surprises when we entered our first competition. I made all of the parts for the competition corner and welded them together. We attached the competition corner weldment to a wall for support. Attached are some pictures of this project.

A few notes:

The swivel mast horizontal saw worked great to cut all of the angles of the tubing, which is shown in picture 2.

Picture 3 shows the 1.5” drill bit installed directly in the ¾” R8 collet of the milling machine, to save lowering the knee of the milling machine and requiring the use of a ¾” ball bearing chuck.

I didn’t have a 1.5” diameter end mill to mill the 1.5” slot, so I bored the hole and stepped over about 0.040” for each bore as shown in picture 4. You can hardly see the steps in picture 5. (The large diameter with the relatively small steps averaged out the steps.)

I used an outside corner end mill to make the ¼” radius on the floor bracket shown on pictures 6 & 10.

I used two saw horses plus an adjustable table to support the weldment shown with my friend Bill in picture 12.

Comment

If anyone out there wants to help out these kids and the FIRST Robotics program, it's a good deal. I was a mentor for five years, helping our local high school team put together a drive train with (mostly) cordless drill motors, sprockets and chewing gum. Never had one fail. The last year I did it, the team earned a Motorola Quality Award at a regional competition.

I worked with a lot of kids and we had some great times and some not so good. We all learned. Sometimes we learned how to make things. Other times we learned how to get along, or share disappointment. The robots we made lasted a lunchtime but the memories a lifetime.